Email Author Ali Trachta

2011 Stories by Ali Trachta

• The Rose Parade -- We Love It!

  published December 29, 2011

  We don't mean to make Macy's Thanksgiving feel bad, but the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena is truly king of the parade world. It's the crown jewel... More >>

• 2012 Will Just Be Ducky!

  published December 29, 2011

  Obsessed with Boardwalk Empire? Yeah, so are we. And so is LACMA apparently, since it's throwing its first New Year's Eve party in Nucky... More >>

• First Person: Melting Down at the Happiest Place on Earth

  published Dec 22, 2011

  In our new column, First Person, L.A. writers tackle the good, the bad and the funny about life as they know it. "No, you watch your fucking mouth!" Those were not words I ever imagined uttering at ... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Recap: Taylor and Russell Armstrong Blacklisted from the White Party

  published Dec 20, 2011

  Ah, Housewives and their ever-evolving definition of how to be a friend. So far this season we've learned that it's improper to start sentences with "I'm not your friend," (thanks, Lisa) especially wh... More >>

• The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Eat and Drink Like Don Draper, Cook Like Betty

  published Dec 16, 2011

  For even the most diehard fans, it's often difficult to pinpoint exactly why we love Mad Men, perhaps because what sets the show apart is its subtlety. If you've seen even a handful of episodes you kn... More >>

• Rachael v. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off: Pitting Celebrity Non-Chefs Against Each Other to See Who Sucks the Least

  published Dec 15, 2011

  Have we learned nothing from Famous Foodr Only disaster can come from letting half-wit D-listers anywhere near a set of knives. Shouldn't the fact that a New Jersey Housewife is now part owner of a Ho... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Recap: Adrienne Maloof's and Lisa Vanderpump's Dueling Vegas Parties

  published Dec 13, 2011

  Last night's RHOBH episode was a battle between Adrienne Maloof and Lisa Vanderpump to see who could out-Vegas the other. In one corner we had Maloof, owner of the Palms Casino, "rolling out the red c... More >>

• Dutch Ovens: 5 Other Kitchen Tools You Won't Need to Buy If You Own One

  published Dec 12, 2011

  I got into an elevator empty-handed one recent morning and by the end of a short two-story ride, was the proud owner of a bright orange Le Creuset Dutch oven. A recently married co-worker who'd likely... More >>

• The Donna Reed Show Reunion at Paley Center: Shelley Fabares, Paul Petersen and Others on the Perfect TV Family That Really Was

  published Dec 07, 2011

  Despite later starring in three movies alongside Elvis Presley and having a #1 hit single, "Johnny Angel," Shelley Fabares, who played oldest child Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show, was terribly afra... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Brandi Glanville's Party Drives a 'Wedge' between Camille Grammer and Taylor Armstrong

  published Dec 06, 2011

  It's a wonder no one got a wedge upside the head last night. Seriously. Brandi Glanville hosted her first Housewives soiree -- a wedge shoe party -- in hopes of showing the ladies that hanging out wi... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Elizabeth Taylor, Auctioned: 6 Best Items Up For Sale This Month, Via Christie's and Profiles in History

  published Dec 01, 2011

  The $50,000 to $75,000 presale estimate of Elizabeth Taylor's dressing room trailer -- used on the set of Cleopatra and set to be auctioned at Profiles in History's upcoming "Icons of Hollywood" aucti... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Retail Therapy and the Lisa Vanderpump-Adrienne Maloof Feud Over the Palms Hotel

  published Nov 29, 2011

  Where is our pesky gajillionaires etiquette manual when we need itr We hate when we can't figure out which Vegas hotel owner friend we should choose to host our daughter's bachelorette party. Such wa... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Martha Stewart Saves Thanksgiving, or Your Life: Top 10 Most Ridiculous #AskMartha Tweets

  published Nov 23, 2011

  You know the old Thanksgiving turkey hotliner We always imagined rows and rows of expert turkey-makers manning phones like the Jerry Lewis telethon, ready to answer your burning (or, hopefully just go... More >>

• Mario Batali Explains it All: Chef-Turned-Advice God on Twitter

  published Nov 22, 2011

  Maybe you need a quick sweet potato recipe, or perhaps you're spending Thanksgiving in Vegas and need a restaurant recommendation. Or maybe you just need advice on how to get the weed stink out of you... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Every Day's a Birthday with Ace Young

  published Nov 22, 2011

  Anger and resentment on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills seem to follow the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Only transferred. Case in point: ... More >>

• C-CAP Stuffing Contest: Thanksgiving For the Future

  published Nov 21, 2011

  If we're to believe Back to the Future Part II, by 2015 we'll have flying cars. By that logic, maybe we'll also have Thanksgiving stuffing that automatically stuffs itself into an available turkey. We... More >>

• Coolhaus in Culver City Opening Tonight: Free Ice Cream

  published Nov 17, 2011

  What's cooler than being coolr (Ice cold) free Coolhaus sandwiches! As if we weren't excited enough for Coolhaus' brick-and-mortar shop in Culver City to finally open, they sweetened the deal by annou... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken To Be Subjects of ABC Sitcom

  published Nov 15, 2011

  Sclemeel, schlemazel, hazenfeffer incorporated... The most exciting food TV news we've heard lately came from our sister paper OC Weekly, which reports that Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken -- lon... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Taylor Armstrong Tea'd Off

  published Nov 15, 2011

  We hope you had your electronic cigarettes on hand last night, or whatever it is you reach for to take the edge off. The stress of it all from Lisa's tea-party-turned-fight-club was a little more than... More >>

• Wendy Doulton's The Headhuntress and Carrie McCully's Chef Hunter: Is Getting a Real Job Reality TV's New Fantasyr

  published Nov 14, 2011

  I watch the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills every week. I watch New York and Orange County, too. (Though we all agree DC was whack, rightr) I watch these shows partly for the ability to laugh at the ... More >>

• Chef Hunter at Border Grill: Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken and Winner Monique King Weigh In

  published Nov 11, 2011

  Job interviews are stressful enough, but add TV cameras, a head-to-head competition and the watchful eyes of two of the most successful people in your field evaluating your every move, and you've got ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Anthony Bourdain on The Layover, L.A. and Jonathan Gold

  published Nov 10, 2011

  We elbowed our way into the Travel Channel's crowded media conference call to speak with legendary chef, food writer and TV personality Anthony Bourdain about his new show, The Layover, premiering thi... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Kim Richards' Rx Cocktail, and Messages from Beyond

  published Nov 08, 2011

  There's nothing like planning a seance to remind you of how much you look like death, so naturally, before the Bev Hills housewives could gather at Kyle's to speak to their deceased loved ones, they a... More >>

• Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys: Food, Gender and How We Approach Eating

  published Nov 03, 2011

  Lucinda Scala Quinn, food TV personality and Executive Food Editor of Martha Stewart Living, has written a cookbook titled Mad Hungry [Artisan], which is the same name as her cooking show on the Hallm... More >>

• Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Russell Armstrong, Kim Richard's Boyfriend and a Camel Make Cameos

  published Nov 01, 2011

  Today's Tuesday. What will we be doing tonightr Hmm, probably laundry. But in the land of Beverly Hills Housewives, Tuesday is the perfect day for your filthy rich friend and his child bride to throw ... More >>